HELP! LO REFUSING FEEDS due to REFLUX

2 weeks ago, it was a challenge to feed him but we would atleast be able to finish the bottle even though it took long (like 4oz feeds would take 2 hours long!) . But since yesterday, he just isnt feeding. he has taken 10oz since in 12 hours after so much struggle. any tips?

he cries and avoids feed (only someone who has witnessed a reflux baby would know what am talking about!), chokes/coughs/hiccups a lot, has wet burps. classic signs of horrible reflux. now, he has it so bad that he has feeding aversion & is now on a feeding strike.

we went to doc. they did barium swallow test & no issues . said all looks fine but didnt chk for reflex. they said to continue what we are doing as he is not losing weight (yet!) and come to them immediately if we have less than 3 wet diapers in 24 hours. so far, we havent lost weight & we are getting wet diapers. he has been on zantac for the past 5 days but i dont know if it is helping him. they said we have to wait one more week to see if it helps or not.

i told them again and again that it is coming to that point soon as he is simply refusing food. they said if it comes to that then they will do tube feeding if all else fails. am so worried.

any tips of making him feel better & feed better??? any reflux mommas here?? we are all at wits end at our house. ANY tips to help him would be great!!! also, prayers for him and us would be greatly appreciated!

thank you!

Hi folks,

I am running out of options...LO is refusing feeds completely.

2 weeks ago, it was a challenge to feed him but we would atleast be able to finish the bottle even though it took long (like 4oz feeds would take 2 hours long!) . But since yesterday, he just isnt feeding. he has taken 10oz since in 12 hours after so much struggle. any tips?

he cries and avoids feed (only someone who has witnessed a reflux baby would know what am talking about!), chokes/coughs/hiccups a lot, has wet burps. classic signs of horrible reflux. now, he has it so bad that he has feeding aversion & is now on a feeding strike.

we went to doc. they did barium swallow test & no issues . said all looks fine but didnt chk for reflex. they said to continue what we are doing as he is not losing weight (yet!) and come to them immediately if we have less than 3 wet diapers in 24 hours. so far, we havent lost weight & we are getting wet diapers. he has been on zantac for the past 5 days but i dont know if it is helping him. they said we have to wait one more week to see if it helps or not.

i told them again and again that it is coming to that point soon as he is simply refusing food. they said if it comes to that then they will do tube feeding if all else fails. am so worried.

any tips of making him feel better & feed better??? any reflux mommas here?? we are all at wits end at our house. ANY tips to help him would be great!!! also, prayers for him and us would be greatly appreciated!

This may be a LONG shot and I have NO experience with this, but maybe have someone else feed him. It'll give you a break from the stress and he might willing to try if someone else tries. He might be feeling your stress during feeding times. Like I said I have no experience, but it wouldn't hurt to try :O) I hope the zantac works! Also you've probably tried this, but maybe add cereal to the bottle to help thicken it? HTH

This may be a LONG shot and I have NO experience with this, but maybe have someone else feed him. It'll give you a break from the stress and he might willing to try if someone else tries. He might be feeling your stress during feeding times. Like I said I have no experience, but it wouldn't hurt to try :O) I hope the zantac works! Also you've probably tried this, but maybe add cereal to the bottle to help thicken it? HTH

Oh man...sorry you're having such a tough time. First if all, a barium swallow is a lousy way to diagnose reflux, as it captures a very short snapshot in time. so if that study was negative for reflux, that by no means indicates your lo doesn't have reflux. It sounds like there's no obstruction though, and that's a good thing. Regarding the reflux: Zantac once per day isn't very strong therapy. If your baby is refusing to feed entirely, I think the meds need to be increased; a proton pump inhibitor once or twice per day provides much better acid suppression, although it takes time for the med to work. I personally would call my pediatrician and ask for Prilosec. You can also keep lo's head elevated as much as possible and try adding rice cereal to bottles, which my pediatrician swears by but a few studies suggest doesn't work. If you really can't get anything in, call your pediatrician; that feeding tube might be necessary in the short term while this gets sorted. Hope this gets better soon.

Oh man...sorry you're having such a tough time. First if all, a barium swallow is a lousy way to diagnose reflux, as it captures a very short snapshot in time. so if that study was negative for reflux, that by no means indicates your lo doesn't have reflux. It sounds like there's no obstruction though, and that's a good thing. Regarding the reflux: Zantac once per day isn't very strong therapy. If your baby is refusing to feed entirely, I think the meds need to be increased; a proton pump inhibitor once or twice per day provides much better acid suppression, although it takes time for the med to work. I personally would call my pediatrician and ask for Prilosec. You can also keep lo's head elevated as much as possible and try adding rice cereal to bottles, which my pediatrician swears by but a few studies suggest doesn't work. If you really can't get anything in, call your pediatrician; that feeding tube might be necessary in the short term while this gets sorted. Hope this gets better soon.

We just went through this with our LO. He's always been a huge spitter upper. Went from eating over 30 oz. a day to 10 oz. There was lots of screaming and avoiding the bottle at feeding time. Eventually he would just fall asleep from crying so much. Went to the ped and they gave us Zantac. We were more interested in fixing the source of the problem so we went to a chiropractor. Sounds crazy but we were desperate. It only took 2 visits and LO has no more reflux problems. It's not even expensive and he's not taking the Zantac. He's back to eating over 30 oz. a day and we have our happy LO back. HTH!!

We just went through this with our LO. He's always been a huge spitter upper. Went from eating over 30 oz. a day to 10 oz. There was lots of screaming and avoiding the bottle at feeding time. Eventually he would just fall asleep from crying so much. Went to the ped and they gave us Zantac. We were more interested in fixing the source of the problem so we went to a chiropractor. Sounds crazy but we were desperate. It only took 2 visits and LO has no more reflux problems. It's not even expensive and he's not taking the Zantac. He's back to eating over 30 oz. a day and we have our happy LO back. HTH!!

my lo just did this (only ate 4oz in over24hrs becase i frced him to) it ended up that he had a stomach virus thats going around. i tried giving him plain oatmean on a spoon (thicker than most people make it) and he actually ate that. so now he loves cereal and is back to eating what hewas before but now he will cry for solids lol

my lo just did this (only ate 4oz in over24hrs becase i frced him to) it ended up that he had a stomach virus thats going around. i tried giving him plain oatmean on a spoon (thicker than most people make it) and he actually ate that. so now he loves cereal and is back to eating what hewas before but now he will cry for solids lol

My 5 year old had this problem when he was a baby, it was awful. I am a firm believer in eastern medicine and alternative medicine. We researched a lot and found a chiropractor that deals with babies, after seeing her twice in the same week he was a new baby!! Try it, u have nothing to lose at this point. Like pp said it worked for her baby too. My son loved it also, he was so calmAnd happy after the adjustment.

My 5 year old had this problem when he was a baby, it was awful. I am a firm believer in eastern medicine and alternative medicine. We researched a lot and found a chiropractor that deals with babies, after seeing her twice in the same week he was a new baby!! Try it, u have nothing to lose at this point. Like pp said it worked for her baby too. My son loved it also, he was so calmAnd happy after the adjustment.

Thanks for all ur replies, folks!
I give him BM exclusively thru me or pumped... He has been having feeds thru me or DH since he was born....now, he doesn't take anything from anyone....
Today, we managed a total of 25oz today after so much struggle !
I will try the chiropractic thing! Hopefully something will work...
Am going to try & add cereal this weekend......also, try & switch to formula (baby's only : lactose free organic).....we can't let him starve like this... This is madness....

Thanks for all ur replies, folks!
I give him BM exclusively thru me or pumped... He has been having feeds thru me or DH since he was born....now, he doesn't take anything from anyone....
Today, we managed a total of 25oz today after so much struggle !
I will try the chiropractic thing! Hopefully something will work...
Am going to try & add cereal this weekend......also, try & switch to formula (baby's only : lactose free organic).....we can't let him starve like this... This is madness....

25 ounces is average so that's good. Feed him in a room with no distractions. No tv or phones. My LO needs this now as he refuses the bottle when toys, sound, etc are around. Try solids for reflux. We started oatmeal this last week and my guys reflux has improved- ESP when he had oatmeal. Also- is your LO teething? Could be that.

25 ounces is average so that's good. Feed him in a room with no distractions. No tv or phones. My LO needs this now as he refuses the bottle when toys, sound, etc are around. Try solids for reflux. We started oatmeal this last week and my guys reflux has improved- ESP when he had oatmeal. Also- is your LO teething? Could be that.

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